Loveland hasn't had much luck against Rocky Mountain recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Red Wolves will host the Lobos at 4:30 p.m.
Loveland blew Bear Creek out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Monday Bear Creek got their revenge. The Red Wolves fell just short of the Bears by a score of 5-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Red Wolves have suffered since April 7th.
Loveland saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Will Dunbar, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain came tearing into Saturday's contest with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Jaguars 13-3. The Lobos might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matches by six runs or more this season.
Ross Frank was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Rocky Mountain let Erik Jacobson and Roan Kachel run wild. Jacobson got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI, while Kachel went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those three RBI gave Kachel a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Max Abernathy, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run.
Rocky Mountain always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Rock Canyon only posted an OBP of .273.
Rocky Mountain pushed their record up to 15-5 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Loveland, their loss dropped their record down to 8-12.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Loveland has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Rocky Mountain struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
